District SWEEP Nodal Officer, Patiala-cum-Principal, Government Girls College Dr. Savinder Singh Rekhi, SWEEP Nodal Officer 115-Patiala Rupinder Singh and Prof. Jagtar Singh appealed to the youth to play an active role in strengthening democracy and ensure registration of every eligible citizen as a voter during the ongoing Regional Youth Fair at Khalsa College Patiala.
He said that youth are the future of the country as well as an important strength of the present. The awareness, thinking and participation of youth in the democratic process further strengthens the democracy of the country. The right to vote gives every eligible citizen an opportunity to raise his voice and voting is also an important civic responsibility.
He specifically appealed that all eligible youth of 18 years of age or above should get their voter registration done and cooperate in achieving the target of 100 percent voter registration. He said that the youth who have not yet completed the age of 18 can also give the message of voter awareness to their family members, friends and people around them.
District SWEEP Nodal Officer, while giving information about the digital facilities of the Election Commission, motivated the youth to use the ECI Voter Helpline App. He said that this app helps in voter registration, checking one’s name in the voter list and getting information about various services related to elections. He appealed to the youth to install the official app of the Election Commission in their mobile phones and also make their colleagues aware about it, so that no eligible citizen is deprived of registration due to lack of information.
He also invited the students to become members and volunteers of ELC (Election Literacy Club) established in the colleges. He said that through ELC, students can make people aware about the right to vote and the importance of voter registration by participating in voter awareness activities, poster making, slogan writing, rallies, street plays and social media campaigns.
He said that even a small effort by each student can motivate an eligible youth to register as a voter. Therefore, the youth should not limit themselves to themselves but also spread the message of voter awareness among their families, friends and society.
In conclusion, Prof. Rekhi said that informed voters are the foundation of a strong democracy. The active role of youth is extremely important to ensure the registration of every eligible citizen as a voter and responsible participation in the electoral process.